Lady palm

Dwarf palm with enormous staying power

Lady palm brings the Orient into your home, in the form of a small palm with so much power that even ancient warriors relied on it.

Colours and shapes

Lady palm (officially Rhapis excelsa) is distinctive because this palm does not have one sturdy trunk, but a bunch of stems that resemble bamboo. These bear dark green, pointy leaves which are 15-30 cm wide and give a powerful appearance. Lady palm not only helps purify the air in your home, but also helps keep the humidity indoors at the right level, so that you always have a pleasant environment to live in.

Origin

Lady palm is a member of the palm family and originates from China, where it does best in regions with damp mountain forests. It doesn’t grow in the wild - all known species come from cultivated plants. They don’t reach a height of more than 3 m outdoors, making it one of the smaller palms. In the 17th century Japan imported this specialty palm from China, and from there the plant was carried first to Europe and later to America. The genus name Rhapis is Greek ‘’ meaning ‘needle’, referring to the pointy leaves.

Symbolism

In Japan Lady palm was specifically planted around the palaces of military commanders. The pointy shape of the leaves was said to ward off those of bad intent. Because they’re very strong and can reach a great age (with proper care they can live century) they are known as ‘green parrots’, which are also tough survivors.

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Care

Lady palm does not like full sun, and prefers filtered light or a spot with some shade.

Do not allow the soil to dry out, but don't leave Lady palm standing in water either.